Why building a fintech in Newcastle is a canny decision (and one I’d make all over again)

I recently had the pleasure of speaking at Mastercard’s FinTech 2.0 panel event, where we discussed the challenges and opportunities of scaling a fintech company outside of London.  

The final question stuck with me: “If you had to do it all over again, would you still build your business in Newcastle?”   

The answer? A resounding yes.   

Why Newcastle is the right place to build a fintech  

My early career was defined by the classic “boomerang” move. I left the North East to join high-growth fintech Thredd in London and then returned back to Newcastle as COO, tasked with scaling teams and finding great talent.  

Fast forward to today, I’ve never regretted building Kani Payments in the North East. It has all the ingredients for fintech success:   

• Talent density: With three world-class universities in a 10-mile radius, we have access to incredible graduates across data, tech and finance. At Kani, we regularly collaborate through placements, guest lectures and full-time hiring 

• Cost and quality of life: Newcastle offers high-quality, well-paid roles in a region with more affordable housing, lower living costs and shorter commutes  

• Culture and community: There’s a thriving, supportive tech ecosystem here backed by smart people trying to build great things  
  
  

While remote working has flattened salaries across the board, Newcastle still offers a rare sweet spot between cost, quality of life and career opportunity.   

It’s as win-win: businesses tap into local talent without the London price tag, and brilliant people get real access to fast-growing roles.  

But let’s be honest–it’s not always easy

Fintech still revolves around networking, especially in the early stages. Hiring, innovating, raising capital–it all benefits from in-person relationships. And naturally, a lot of that happens in London.  

Yes, you can jump on a train, but every trip takes time and energy that could be spent improving your product or supporting your team. The good news is that you don’t need to be in the capital to succeed. You just need to be strategic and deliberate with your time.  

Focus on the events and connections that genuinely move the needle and let the rest go. For us, that means prioritising events like Money 20/20 and PAY360 where the whole industry turns up.  

We’ve also leaned into relationships with local investors. For example, Kani’s recent Series A investment was led by Maven Capital Partners: a top UK private equity firm with an office right around the corner. The proximity has made collaboration fast, human and productive.  

Building a balanced fintech landscape 

The UK already stands as the fintech capital of Europe, attracting more investment than France, Germany, China, India, Brazil and Canada combined. But if we want to remain a global leader, we need a national–not just a London–strategy.  

The Khalifa Review rightly called out the importance of regional fintech hubs. It highlighted policy reforms, R&D funding and infrastructure investment as key levers for growth. But more needs to be done to activate that vision.  

We’ve already seen opportunities missed. The government recently shelved over £1 billion in planned tech and AI investment, while total fintech funding dropped 27% in the past year. In regions like the North East, where business density is lower, those cuts hit harder—early-stage capital is scarcer, and proximity too often outweighs potential.  

To fix that, we need: 

• Easier access to capital for ambitious fintechs outside London, especially at seed stage  

• Government-backed innovation hubs spread across regions and not clustered in the South East 

• Long-term investment in digital infrastructure, transport and regional universities 
  
  

Schemes like R&D tax credits can help, but they’re not enough. We need sustained, targeted support to unlock the full potential of regional fintechs. 

The future of fintech is regional

When people ask if I’d still build Kani in Newcastle, my answer is always the same: Yes–and I’d do it faster.  

The North East has everything you need to build a world-class, high-performance entity. We’ve already proven it’s possible to scale globally, serve major clients and grow an exceptional team beyond the M25.  

What’s missing isn’t capability. It’s visibility, backing and belief.  

The next global fintech success story could easily come from Newcastle, Belfast or Cardiff, providing we build the right conditions to support it.